I found this written by a researcher at Central Florida Research and Education Center "Ficus elastica, the India rubber tree, wasgrown extensively as an indoor tree during the early 1950's and earlier. Today it is difficult to find commercial sources of the plant because it has been replaced with several cultivars listed below: `Decora' was a significant new cultivar at the time of its introduction, about 1950. With its broad elliptical leaves and more attractive growth habit, it soon replaced the species. `Doescheri' has the narrow leaf shape of the species and a striking variegated pattern of green, grayish green, yellow, white and a pink midrib and petiole. `Robusta' is a compact form which resembles `Decora', but is more compact and free branching. `Rubra' has dark, wine red leaves when grown in full sun. Much of the red color is lost as the plant grows under reduced light intensity. `Rubra' is also listed under the names `Burgundy' and `Abidjan'. `Sophia' is a new green cultivar with leaves which are smaller and more rounded than `Robusta'."

Roots look like they might have some rot- was this the case? Is the plant kept in a well ventilated location? Repotting was a good Idea. What did you pot it in? These are pretty hardy plants, it should bounce back. As to best potting soil, well LOLOLOLOL...…… some prefer gritty mix some simply use commercial potting soil. Mine is in Miracle Grow to which I have added perlite. There are lots of discussions on this type plant on both the houseplant and container forums. Look for the post on trimming Rubber trees ( don't remember the exact post, sorry) as it is filled with good information. General care: Bright indirect light to dappled sun. Moist soil but never a swamp, allow the soil to dry slightly in between watering- slightly less water in winter. Temperature: average room temperature, it will appreciate 70-80. Keep out of cold drafts. Air should be well ventilated though, not a stagnant corner.

Since coming home, it hasn’t seemed happy, which I expected from a grocer plant. All plants we're likely to buy are already blessed (by Mother Nature) with genetics making them capable of becoming a beautiful specimen. The skillset possessed by whomever has had responsibility for the plant's care is what determines how much of that genetic potential is realized - heavy emphasis here on cultural influences. So, where the plant is from has very little to do with it's potential except in the immediate, where recently poor cultural practices might have negatively influenced the plant's current state of vitality. It dropped a couple leaves from one stem (one that had been truncated) and the main stalk but now, the leaves don’t look as dark and glossy, it hasn’t put out any new growth, and has developed two worrisome areas on two different leaves, both towards the bottom. It’s leaves have never been particularly perky except the top one. One worrying leaf it developing spots on it, they look to be whitish and they do not disappear with water (I thought maybe I could wash them off but no). The other leaf has a brown area on the side of the leaf. There’s plenty of holes in the bottom though there’s not much perlite in the soil (to me) and it doesn’t drain particularly well I feel. It’s facing a floor-to-ceiling SW window with sheer white drapes partly covering half the window (it’s about 12’ from that window) and gets a little light from the other two West facing windows. There are three humidifiers running in the room most of the day, large, medium, and small. The small one is about 3’ from it, the other two are 10’ or more. I have not fertilized it since it already has those fertilizer pearls in it from the grocer mix. Help!! I’m only a year into caring for houseplants and it’s my first rubber plant. You probably don't realize the amount of light striking the plant at 12 ft from the window is only 144th as bright as it would be AT the window, so it would undoubtedly respond more favorably to more light, and, it would REALLY appreciate a full sun spot outdoors for the summer, once night temps are reliably above 50-55*f. Your plant is small enough that workarounds to help with a soil that's potentially too water retentive are easy, so making sure you're adhering to good watering habits is something you can start today, if you're not already watering correctly. Water over the sink until the soil has been completely saturated and the soil flushed thoroughly. The first time you flush the soil, make sure you pour a minimum of room temp water equal to at least 10X the volume of the pot slowly through the soil to flush accumulating salts from tapwater and fertilizers out of the soil. If you water in small sips to 'avoid over-watering', ALL salts that go into the soil STAY in the soil. Nutrient release from CRFs (controlled release fertilizers) is primarily driven by temperature, so you don't have much control over the level of nutrients released. That accumulation needs remediation because it causes limitations on more than 1 front. When you've finished watering, hold the plant in your hand over the sink - support the trunk with the other hand if required. Move the plant up and down. You'll immediately see on the reversal from downward to upward, water in the soil tends to keep moving downward as the pot moves upward. and the sharper the reversal, the more water exits the pot. Keep up the upward/downward movement until no more water exits the pot, then return the planting to its cache pot. Never allow the plant to sit in the cache pot in the effluent that exits the drain holes after watering. You can add blocks to lift the pot up so there is no pathway by which the effluent can make its way back into the soil. With vitality comes vibrancy - a healthy glow. I can't say whether or not you should start fertilizing at this point, but as long as you're using good watering habits it's probably a good idea. My suggestion would be to use this: at the maintenance rate every other time you water until you repot, then you can increase the rate. The loss of a few leaves isn't unusual, and the plant should stabilize by summer if you adopt the new habits. The leaf with the spots looks suspicious in that it's not a mechanical injury, it isn't fungal, it's not oedema, and doesn't present like an over/under-watering or over-fertilizing issue. If you have interest in learning more, I can provide you with informational resources I've posted here at GW/Houzz, but I won't bother unless you do have interest. Al

I'm not sure why one leaf has a black tip that's spreading :( It feels dry and crunchy and the area keeps getting bigger.. It's actually back into it's original plastic planter I got the plant in cause I realized the pot I replaced it with was too big. Please help!